Uncomfortable with the current injury diagnosis and unwilling to risk worsening a repeated injury to his neck, the Green Bay Packers made the difficult decision to place running back A.J. Dillon on season-ending injured reserve during final cuts on Tuesday.
Dillon suffered his second stinger in nine months during the Packers’ second-to-last week of training camp. Now on injured reserve without a return designation, Dillon’s season with the Packers — and possibly his career in Green Bay — is over. General manager Brian Gutekunst explained the delicate process of placing Dillon injured reserve this week.
“We’re very, very cautious with heads, necks and hearts around here, always have been,” Gutekunst said Wednesday. “Obviously, he had the injury last year, went through some things this year. I won’t get into the details of it, but it was just something that we weren’t comfortable with in the moment. Hopefully, that will change in time. He won’t be with us this year. But he’s going to need some time to get through this and see exactly how this will shake out. I wish the best for him. He’s a pro’s pro. It’s a tough blow when these things happen. Hopefully, in short time, he’ll get some good news.”
If Dillon eventually gets good news on the health front, the two sides could reach an injury settlement that allows the veteran running back to sign with another team and play during the 2024 season. For now, he’ll remain on injured reserve in Green Bay.
A stinger injury occurs when nerves in the neck and arm are stretched or compressed as a result of a collision. According to UPMC, repeated stinger injuries can cause chronic pain, numbness throughout the arm and hand and even permanent weakness in the arm and hand.
Dillon, a 2020 second-round pick, returned to the Packers on a one-year deal in 2024. He was expected to be a versatile option behind Josh Jacobs at running back. In fact, coach Matt LaFleur said the offense had a plan for using Dillon in unique ways this season.
“It’s really discouraging because we had a pretty clear vision for what he could do,” LaFleur said. “It wasn’t just going to be as a runner. I thought his versatility was what I was most excited about, just being able to do a lot of different things, in regards to some of the stuff that we did a year ago with him when we had some of our two-halfback sets. So, it certainly leaves us with a void. That’s life in the National Football League.”
The Packers will move forward at running back with Emanuel Wilson and third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd as the primary backups. Wilson led the team in rushing during the preseason for the second straight year, while Lloyd brings explosive running talent and receiving potential to the table. The Packers also brought back Nate McCrary and Ellis Meriweather on the practice squad.
Dillon wrote a message regarding the injury on his various social media channels on Thursday:
Thank you all for the overwhelming support during this tough time. This injury is a tough blow, but I’m staying positive and surrounded by an incredible support system Right now, my focus is on getting healthy, and I’m rooting for my brothers to take care of business 💪 #GPG 💛💚 pic.twitter.com/aCl7ipXHDV
— AJ Dillon (@ajdillon7) August 30, 2024
Dillon played in 60 regular season games and three playoff games while with the Packers. He created 3,191 total yards and scored 18 touchdowns.